Newspaper vending rack



May 6, 1958 L. M. BEEBE ETAL NEWSPAPER VENDING RACK Filed Feb. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LUC/US M. 85585 BY CHARLES 14.01. 566,119.

ATTORNEYS y 1958 M. BEEBE ETAL 2,833,418

NEWSPAPER VENDING RACK Filed Feb. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO$ LUG/USM 55585 By CHARLES/14 0L EGGLJR.

} ATTORNEYS NEWSPAPER VENDING RACK Lucius M. Beebe and Charles M. Clegg,

Virginia City, Nev.

This invention relates to a new and improved newspaper vending rack characterized by the fact that it can be transported to and from a sidewalk location and, further, by the fact that it can be supported by a pivoted leg structure or the leg structure can be folded to inoperative position.

One of the features of the invention is the provision of two troughs to receive newspapers or the like, one on the front of the rack and the other spaced upwardly and rearwardly thereof. Each of the troughs is provided with a bail follower, the lower trough having a bail follower w 'ch extends upwardly and is springbiased to hold the newspapers in the trough by applying pressure adjacent their upper edges. The other trough is provided with a bail follower which is suspended from the upper edge thereof and applies pressure to hold the contents of the trough against the back at a position approximately half the depth of the trough.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of a removable platform which may be inserted in the upper trough, and which is particularly advantageous when newspapers or the like of smaller than standard size are displayed. An example of the use of the upper trough is in connection with the sale of newspapers inserted in envelopes for mailing. The newspapers are folded in half and therefore do not have the dimensions of standard papers. The insertion of the platform in the upper trough raises the envelopes above the bottom to a more conspicuous position.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of two separate display card holders, one associated with each trough.

There are many other features of the construction of the vending rack which will become apparent upon reading the following description of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a platform insertable in and withdrawable from a trough of the rack.

The main frame 11 of the rack is substantially inverted U-shape. The legs 12 extend substantially vertical and the connecting top portion 13 horizontal, the corners 14 being square. The lower ends 16 of the legs 12 of the U are bent to diverge outwardly and forwardly to afford lateral stability. Horizontal cross member 17 is welded to the legs 12 and prevents them from spreading. The main frame 11 is preferably formed of angleiron, with one flange of the angleiron extending inwardly parallel to the front face of the frame and the other fiange extending rearwardly along the outer edge of the main frame.

The U-shaped supporting leg 18 is pivotally secured by means of rivets 19 to legs 12 at positions spaced downwardly from the corners 14. When in operative po- United States Patent bottom 23 and the front 24 of stretch 36 along the outside of .below the level of the bottom 43 of the sition, the supporting leg 18 furnishes proper stability to hold the rack upright, but may readily be folded parallel to the main frame when desired.

The lower trough 21 is formed of sheet metal and has an elongated back portion 22 fixed to the front face of the connecting top portion 13 of the frame 11. The the trough 21 are integral with the back 22 and are formed by bending the sheet metal which forms the back forwardly and then upwardly. The edges of the trough are reinforced by folding the sheet metal inwardly. Reinforcement for the top edge of the front of the trough is provided by a metal strap 26 which extends across the upper edge of the outer face of front 24 and is bent with sides 27 extending rearwardly and welded to the legs 12 below pivots 19.

The bail 28 to retain papers in the lower trough 21 is formed of a piece of rigid wire in an inverted U-shape with inwardly bent extensions 29 on the lower ends of the U passing through holes in the sides 27 of the reinforcement. The top 31 of the bail 28 is slightly lower than the upper edge of the back 22 of trough 21. To insure contact of the bail with the newspapers, a spring is provided which is wrapped in a helix 32 around one inwardly turned extension 29. One end 33 of the spring is inserted through a hole in the bail; the other end of the spring is bent in a loop 34 which extends in a stretch under the bottom edge of side 27, thence in a vertical side 27 and thence in a loop 37 up over the top edge of side 27 and then vertically downward.

The upper trough 41 is likewise formed of sheet metal. The back 42 slopes forwardly downwardly so that papers in the upper trough are tilted at an angle which makes for effective display. The bottom 43 is bent substantially horizontal and the front 44 vertically upward. The edges of the sheet metal which forms the trough are folded inwardly to provide reinforcement. Further reinforcement is afforded by means of a wire 45 on each side of the vending rack. One end 46 of the wire is welded to the back of the upper edge of the back 42 of the upper trough 41 and extends out to the upper corners thereof and thence downwardly in stretch 47 along the side edges of back 42 about one-half the height I of the back 42. Thereupon the wire is bent in a stretch 4s extending rearwardly at an obtuse angle and thence bent in a horizontal stretch 49 at a level immediately trough and provides support for bottom 43. The front end 51 of the wire reinforcement is bent vertically upwardly and suitably afiixed to the top corner of the front 44. A wire bracket 52 which is of inverted U-shape is disposed with its connecting portion 53 along the back of the rack and is joined at its corners to the corner of the juncture of the horizontalstretch 49 and rearwardly extending stretch 48 thereof. The forward ends 54 of the bracket are secured to the main frame legs 12 above pivots 19. One of the features of the invention is the provision of a wooden platform 56 in the trough 41 having a horizontal, transverse top 57 and a pair of legs 58 on either side thereof. The legs 58 are trapezoidal and rest on the bottom 43 of the upper trough 41. Hence papers, envelopes or the like resting on top 57 are elevated above the bottom 43 of the trough. When it is desired to display longer items, the platform 56 may be removed.

A bail 61 to secure the papers in the upper trough is likewise provided. Washers 62 are welded to the wire reinforcements at the upper rear corner of the upper trough. The upper ends 63 of the bail 61 are bent inwardly and pass through the holes in the washers. The sides of the bails are bent forwardly and downwardly vertically downwardly and the connecting portion 67 eX- tends across the upper trough in a position substantially one-half the height thereof and substantially above the uppersurface of the platform. As is apparent from Fig. l, the legs 64 and-660E the bail 28 slope downwardly inwardly.

A lower card holder 71 is fastened to the main frame 11 below the lower trough 21. siderably greater width than'the mainframe. The holder is formed of sheet metal with side edges 72 bent inwardly at an angle of substantially 45 and with reversely bent portions 73 inside side edges 72 spaced from the. main body of the holder 71 to provide room for the entry of the edge of a card 74 displayed therein. A hole 76 is cut in the back of the holder 71 adjacent one corner thereof to facilitate insertion and removal of cards 74 from the holder.

The upper card holder 77 is secured to the front face of trough 41 and is likewise formed of sheet metal and its side and bottom edges 78 and 79 are bent inwardly to engage-the edges of a card 81.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A newspaper vending rack to carry and display newspapers of a first size and envelopes of a second smaller size comprising; a main frame having spaced upright members, means to support said main frame in a sloping upstanding position, a first trough having a width substantially as long as the width of the newspaper and spanning said upright members, said trough affixed to the front of said frame approximately midway between the top and the bottom of the frame and extending forwardly thereof to form a nest to receive the bottom edge The holder is of conof the newspaper, said first trough being formed of sheet metal bent parallel to said main frame to provide a back for newspaper nested in said trough thence forwardly to provide a bottom to support the newspaper and upwardly to provide a front, a first bail pivotally mounted adjacent the front of said trough extending upwardly to swing the upper portion of the bail rearwardly towards the back of said trough to a position against an upper extremity of newspaper nested in said trough, a spring biasing the upper portion of said first bail rearwardly, second trough having a length substantially equal to the length of said envelope mounted on the upper edge of said frame the front of said second trough being to the rear of said first trough and projecting rearwardly of said main frame, said second trough formed of sheet metal and shaped to provide a forwardly, downwardly sloping back to support envelopes, a bottom and a front, re-inforcement means to support the second trough from said frame, and a second bail pivotally mounted at the top of the back of said second trough to swing the lower end of the bail downwardly against envelopes supporting against said front whereby the second bail is attracted by gravity towards the back of said second trough.

2. A newspaper vending rack according to claim 1 and wherein there is provided removable means to nest in said second trough to support the bottom edges of envelopes at a predetermined elevated position in said trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 547,216 Jones Oct. 1, 1895 1,038,980 Snyder Sept. 17, 1912 1,422,659 Bulrnan July 11, 1922 1,745,164 Griffith Ian. 28, 1930 1,949,200 Freson Feb. 27, 1934 2,664,206 Beal Dec. 29, 1953 

